Pages

You know almost every year, I have to move to new country because of my husband's job. Every time I feel like I didn't learn anything from my previous move. In order to remind myself for how to prepare for our next move, I decided to write a guide for myself and my readers if you are planning to move.

Moving to a new city or new country can be frustrating and stressful, but also fun. I love moving to new, fresh places and redecorating a new "home", but I hate the actual process of finding a new place. Since we don't have so much of furniture, it makes our move a little bit easy.

How to prepare for your move:

1) Forward your mail to a new address or rent a post box;

2) Let the bank know that you are moving to a new country/city;

3) Separate your valuable things from shipping boxes that you plan to send with moving company;

4) Find as much information as possible about your new place;

5) Label your inventories that you can easily find items when you get them back;

6) Wrap your shoes and glass in order to prevent them from being destroyed by the moving company;

7) Use a mobile inventory app in order to keep track of your things;

8) Recycle what you don't use or regift to people you know. It will make your moving way easier when you have less stuff;

9) Make sure to have a budget for the move. It can be super pricey, depending on distance or location.

I hope these small tips will help you out. Please let me know if you have other tips that you want to share in the comments section below.

JavaScript is currently disabled in this browser. Reactivate it to view this content.

Hi, guys! I hope you all enjoyed watching my insta stories and followed our small adventure in Poland. Last week, I decided to take a short trip to Poland. Not sure why. Maybe it was the idea of an easy direct flight. While I was living in Europe, I didn't have any interest in Eastern Europe. Most of the time I tried to see more of the West and South. Well, Poland should be on your must-see countries list. Even though I had a short stay there, I truly fell in love with Warsaw (despite negative comments that Warsaw is boring). Anyway, I am gonna share with you more about Warsaw in my next blog post. For now, I'm going to concentrate on the more somber travel destination of Treblinka.

For today's post, I want to share why Treblinka is worth a visit, and how you can you get there from Warsaw. You would ask why Treblinka, or what to do there? Well, Treblinka was an extermination camp in Poland, that was operated by Nazi Germany during World War II, where over 800000 of Jews and other people were killed. You may not know this, but my husband is a big student of history. It is why we couldn't miss our chance to take a trip to this place. When we arrived to Poland, we tried to find as much as information as possible for how can we can travel to Treblinka. I was able to find some information about how you can get there by train, bus, taxi or rental car.

We did plan to rent a car, but as we found out later, in order to be able to drive in Poland, you need an international permit. Unfortunately, we didn't have one! Well, our second thought was to take a taxi, but calculating how much it would cost us, we decided that it might be a bad idea. To find a bus or train was the cheapest way to go. After doing some research on the Internet, I found out that you can take a train from Central Station that goes to one of the villages, from which you take a cab to the site. Since we were lacking in Polish language ability, it was a bit hard for us to understand if this was a good idea. But a few nice ladies (complete strangers who saw us being lost) explained how to take the metro to get to Central Station, where later we were able to buy tickets for the train to Malkinia. The train ride was super smooth. The clean bathroom, seats and free Internet made our trip to Malkinia very pleasant. It took about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

As soon we got off from the train, we got a cab who said that he knows where to drive. Luckily, he was able to speak a bit of Russian, and explained that we will spend more than 2 hours there, and he would come back to pick us up. We were skeptical it would take that long, but he was spot on. After arriving to the extermination camp, we bought tickets to enter and started to walk around according to map. I don't know how to explain, but I think that every person should visit the Treblinka Memorial to pay respect to these victims. The place is very quiet, yet emotional and powerful. The only sound was the wind rustling through tall grass and trees. If you have been in Auschwitz, you will see a big difference in this place. It's hard to imagine the atrocities that happened here, when everything is so peaceful and beautiful. Make sure to bring some water, bug spray, and very comfortable shoes, because the walk in the forest will be quite tough if you are not a good walker.

Hey, guys! I hope you are having a great week and enjoyed reading my previous blog post. I know that lately there are not so many fashion posts, but I feel like I have to share with you about the places I live or travel. It might encourage you to get out from your house and explore the world. But if you are a hermit (like me sometimes), just read my blog because I will bring you with me to really cool places.

In my previous blog post, I shared what you can you do in Tbilisi. As you know, there are always plenty of thing to do in capital cities. Living here gives me such the unique chance to explore many places and show what one can do when hey visit. Georgia is becoming a highly trendy travel location. It is cheap, safe, and very convenient. Don't forget to read my first part in case you missed it. Here is a link.

13. Visit or stay at Fabrika Hostel. Fabrika is not just a former Soviet sewing factory. It is a revisioned, fun, urban space for younger people that attracts both locals and foreigners. This place brings together creative, happy people. You don't need to stay here overnight. All you do is just come to hang our in the lobby while drinking a fresh lemonade or munching on yummy pizza. At their courtyard, you will find shops, cafes and even a florist. Personally, I love coming here for the artsy vibe, good music, and light-hearted atmosphere.

14. Wander through Tbilisi Streets. You never know what you might to find. My favorite spot to wander is Old Town or the Armenian neighborhood. People are super sweet, and might tell the stories of their house, or maybe share some tales of the Soviet Union. It's also not uncommon to be invited inside for tea or coffee.

15. Get dinner at Marjanishvili Square. Some people call it new Tbilisi, due to the beautifully renovated houses. It is really a wonderful neighborhood and offers a lot of amazing restaurants. My favorite spot is Strada cafe. It is actually great place to spend time with your kids, because cars can't drive in this walking district.

16. Buy a paintings or vintage souvenirs at Dry Bridge Market. If you love art and wanted to get something as a gift or are looking for something vintage for your house, Dry Bridge is the way to go. You will find a ton of original artwork and antiques. Soviet clothes, medals, and other paraphernalia are in great abundance here.

17. Visit a magical stained-glass house in Old Tbilisi. It is very easy to miss it when you come to Old Town. Actually, when I saw it the first time, I just took pictures of the house's outside. But later on, I found out that at a certain time of the day, the house turns into magically illuminated place.

18. Walk through a historical Writer's House. Not sure why, but lately, the Writer's House has been closed. The last time when I was there, they still renovating this gem. But because my Georgian friend knew the owner, we were able to check every single room. Also, this place has a nice cafe inside. In case you don't get to see it from inside, make sure at least to get a coffee while soaking in the atmosphere.

19. Try traditional Georgian desserts like churchhella or rtveli. Believe me, they taste really good and are made from organic products. They are often sold in brown shades, but I have seen people sell them in green, yellow, red colors. Not sure if they use a natural products to color them.

20. Drive or take a cab to Gardenia Shevardnadze. This garden is quite popular for its interior and the cute cafe that you will find inside. Many people call it, "Alice in Wonderland." A few years ago the entrance was free, but because of the high flow of tourists, they decided to charge a small fee of 2 Lari (less than a dollar).

21. Take a ride on Ferris Wheel in Mtatsminda Park. To be honest, I am not sure of its age or whether it would pass US safety standards, because every time I took it, I prayed to the Ferris Wheel Gods that I would survive these rickety pods climbing to dizzying heights. One ride costs about 5 lari (a little over $2) per person. It is about 262 feet tall and stands at the edge of a mountain (1000 feet high) that overlooks the entire capital.

22. Time for Hookah or Shop for Designer Clothes. If you are a lover of Hookah or need to shop for something unique from Georgian designers, you will find it at Shardeni Street across from Old Town. The twisting and narrow streets are packed full of tantalizing finds that keep you searching for more.

Hi, guys! I finally collected and edited all of my pictures to write this blog post. I have promised you that will show you my new home. Well, living in a capital city can be a bit overwhelming, and yet super fun. For the previous 2 years, we got to experience a quiet life by living in some charming cities in the United States. I am finally happy to say that our life in the capital is extremely busy with lots going on! I love how busy I stay, how many people I meet, and being able to travel to other countries.

In today's blog post, I want to share what you can do in Tbilisi. The city may look small, but there is still a ton of stuff to do. You can't even imagine! I pretty much did most of the important stuff that you would find on TripAdvisor, and then a whole lot more. Let's begin.

1. Visit the Museum of Georgia. I believe we paid about 7 lari ($2.9) per person. It was quite a nice museum. The Museum offers different exhibitions, from Georgian archeologic treasures, to exhibits on the Soviet Occupation. Think of it as their version of the American Smithsonian Museums, except much smaller and housed under one roof.

2. The Smirnoff Family Museum in the "Caucasian House." We entered this museum for free. I am not even sure if they have an admission charge. Since I grew up learning Russian History and literature in my childhood, this place was very interesting for me. The Smirnoff Family was quite connected to Russian history and culture.

3. Bridge of Peace. This bridge is quite popular for its modern design and serving as a connection to Rike Park over the Kura River. Many Tbilisians go there to relax or take a cable car. I have to admit that I still haven't taken this cable car over Old town. Since we arrived, the tourist season has been in full swing, and the cable car is just always busy. I am going to wait for the fall season.

4. Sulphur Baths. I passed on the chance to enjoy these ancient public baths, but it is quite popular among tourist because of the natural thermal water. You can come to relax and sweat in a hot sauna. Afterwards, take a massage for extra lari. I heard that they are 5 different sulphur baths in town. Beware that it might smell weird to you, as thermals water usually have a specific scent.

5. Love Lock Bridge. To find this bridge is quite easy. You just have to pass the Sulphur baths. I didn't leave our lock, but I'm planning to do it for our anniversary. Well, my husband is probably reading this now, so I guess it won't be a surprise.

6. Waterfall in Old Town. You would be amazed to find this amazing waterfall in the heart of the city. The Leghvtakhevi Waterfall is really cool. I heard that you can make a wish there, which my sister did, and she said it came true. I guess I need to visit again and make my wish ;)

7. Tbilisi Sea. Yes, there is no actual sea in the city, but locals call it the "sea." It is really an artificial lake that was opened in 1953. I brought my family there during hot days in Tbilisi. The reservoir is quite big and we were able to enjoy it from two different sides. Aside from beaches, the lake features a waterpark, boat rentals, and other activities.

8. History of Georgia Monument or The Chronicle of Georgia. This monument is quite impressive, and when you visit Tbilisi Sea, you will be able to see it dominating the landscape from atop a hill. When we hiked up, we didn't initially realize how tall this monument would be. 30 meter columns feature queens, kings, heroes of Georgia. On the top, you can also find a beautiful church and two restaurants. I would advise you to bring your own bottle of wine and walk towards the forest, because it has a beautiful view of the city.

9. Old Town. I love wondering in Old Town, because of its breathtaking architecture. It is the undisputed best place for Instagrammers or Photographers. I can spend hours here and still not be able to see everything that the city offers.

10. Former Hotel London. Luckily, I got a chance to visit this former hotel twice. Why luckily? Because the residents of the house are not happy to see any tourists inside. They use locks on the door, and even if you wait and ask a resident to come inside, you will not be welcomed there. This place is quite incredible, because of the history, architecture and angry residents. I wish that the residents were just charging admission, so the money that they got from tourists could be used t renovate the building and improve their lives a bit.

11. Historical Houses. Tbilisi has a lot of historical house. Some of them have especially beautiful entrances. I found several houses in Tbilisi that are noteworthy. They were not very easy for me to find, because many doors are closed or name of streets have changed. But luckily, a few residents were super sweet and even shared the stories of their houses.

12. Gabriadze Theatre. This theatre is not only famous for its unique clock, but also for puppet performances. The theatre was designed by Gabriadze himself (artist, writer, director). Near the theatre, you can find a lot of cute cafes where you can enjoy delicious Georgian wine and food.

Hello, guys! Oh man, it took me forever to write this blog post, just because our last road trip was super crazyyy... If you didn't read my first part of how to travel America in 7 days, make sure to check it out here and not miss out all cities that I shared there. After Santa Fe, we drove to Acoma Pueblo Sky City in New Mexico.

5. Acoma Pueblo Sky City, New Mexico

After seeing beautiful Santa Fe, we decided that we have to see a Native American pueblo village and the best choice for us was Acoma Sky City, because it was on our way to our next stop at Flagstaff. We woke up quite early to beat the crowd and heat. Believe me, it was a great decision, because around 11am it got hotter. Native Americans still reside there without electricity, sewer systems or water. To get to the village, you have to stop at their visitor center, where you can watch a video about the tribe and also walk around their museum to learn more. A tour costs $25 per person. You can take pictures of the village, but not of the people unless you ask permission before you shoot them. Also, you can take picture of the church, but as soon you enter the church, no photography is allowed. I truly enjoyed our tour around the village, getting to talk with locals, trying some of their delicious bread and buying wonderful souvenirs.

6. Flagstaff, Arizona

We decided to take a small walk around the city and see what you can do in Flagstaff. The town offers a lot of cute restaurants and we definitely advise you to stop at the Mountain Oasis. They have a ton of delicious and healthy food, along with happy hour. Since we planned to drive the next morning to the Grand Canyon, we went to sleep very early so we could get up very early.

7. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The next morning, we got up while it was still dark outside. We planned to watch the sunrise at the Grand Canyon. We drove from Flagstaff, taking Hwy 89. We were able to see only the South Rim of the Grand Canyon as the sun came up, before proceeding along the rim toward Grand Canyon Village. I will give your more information about the Grand Canyon in my next blog post. We ended up crashing in Williams that night.